The Price is Right Timeline/Season 15
Season 15 (1986-1987) Pricing game calendar for Season 15, hosted by Scorpz. Week 0.2:' Night of Thursday, August 14 * The Price Is Right Special 1 (#001P) airs on Thursday night. * The series ''The Price Is Right Special is commonly referred to as "the '86 Specials." * On the '86 Specials, there are audience signs behind both sides of the audience; these signs have the show's logo on a black background. * The '86 Specials use a special version of the show's logo reading "The Price Is Right Special", with all the text in gold and the word "Special" written in script at the bottom with three gold lines running behind it; the "i" in "Special" is dotted with a star. This logo is placed on the Big Doors and the audience signs; the logo that appears at the end of the opening is a black-and-white version. * The '86 Specials open with a static shot of the audience with no light border and with the lights down. As Rod announces the show's name for the first time, the camera zooms in on the left-hand audience sign. * Rod's opening spiel for the '86 Specials is, "Here it comes! With fantastic, new prizes! Television's most exciting hour! The fabulous, 60-minute Price Is Right Special!" The first four contestants are told, "You are the first four contestants on this special Price Is Right!" * On the '86 Specials, Bob is introduced with, "And now, your host of this special hour, the star of The Price Is Right, Bob Barker!" * On the '86 Specials, searchlights scan the audience during the opening, searching for the first four contestants. * On each of the '86 Specials, Bob and Rod wear tuxedos. * On the '86 Specials, Rod tells the fifth through ninth contestants that "you're the next contestant on this Price Is Right Special!" * On the '86 Specials, the chase lights are removed from the Big Doors; replacing them for these six episodes are colored spotlights set up on huge racks in front of the doors. * On the '86 Specials, the border of the Turntable walls and the frames of the Big Doors are gray instead of green. * On the '86 Specials, due to the size of the "The Price Is Right Special" logo, the innermost colored strip is removed from the lower portion of the four center panels of Door #1. * On the '86 Specials, the audience curtains are replaced with silver curtains; these curtains are designed to have a series of curves moving down them. * On the '86 Specials, there is no commercial between the third pricing game and the first Showcase Showdown, between the sixth pricing game and the second Showcase Showdown, or during the Showcase. * On the '86 Specials, after the third and sixth games, the camera cuts to a close-up of the dollar on the Big Wheel; the camera then zooms out as Temptation Cue 1 plays to show Bob and the most recent contestant walking to the Showcase Showdown, supposedly from the previous game. * On the '86 Specials, the mid-show bumper is done during the commercial between the first Showcase Showdown and the fourth pricing game. The bumper consists of Rod saying, "The Price Is Right Special will continue!" as the theme plays over a shot of the "The Price Is Right Special" logo on a blue background. * On the '86 Specials, the consolation prize plugs are done after the second Showcase Showdown; the show's theme plays during the plugs instead of "Dig We Must". * Rod signs off from the '86 Specials with, "This is Rod Roddy speaking for this special Price Is Right, a Mark Goodson television production!" * This Special debuts the third Race Game Curtain; this curtain has a series of gold stars on an orange background. The new curtain carries over to the daytime show when the tape dates catch up. * On the '86 Specials, Clock Game winners are allowed to select a cash bonus at random from one of four envelopes; the available bonuses are $1,000, $2,000, $3,000, and $5,000. * On the '86 Specials, Hole in One contestants are given two putts; this carries over to the daytime show when the tape dates catch up. * This special establishes that the bonus for ordering all six groceries correctly in Hole in One increases in primetime to $1,000. * By this point, the "extra" wall panel has been added on the left side of the Turntable. The panel is red on the outside and orange in the center. * By this point, Most Expensive's price tags have darkened slightly, more closely resembling the set's actual color scheme. * On this special, Most Expensive is played for three trips. '''Week 0.4:' Night of Thursday, August 21 * The Price Is Right Special 2 (#002P) airs on Thursday night. * By this special, Lucky $even is being played for 5-digit cars some of the time; at this point, the last number in the price is revealed at the beginning of the game. * This special introduces the second Any Number board, which is compatible with 5-digit car prices; the board carries over to the daytime show once episodes taped after the Specials begin airing. * This special establishes that when Any Number is played for 5-digit cars, the first number in the car's price is revealed at the beginning of the game and appears again among the remaining ten spaces. * On ''only the first appearance of the new Any Number board, the text on the prize labels is right-justified. Beginning with its second appearance, the text is centered, as it was on the original board. '''Week 0.6:''' Night of Thursday, August 28 * The Price Is Right Special 3 (#003P) airs on Thursday night. * On Special, Money Game is played for a boat. '''Week 0.8:''' Night of Thursday, September 4 * The Price Is Right Special 4 (#004P) airs on Thursday night. '''Week 1 (617):''' September 8-12 + Thursday night * The Price Is Right Special 5 (#005P) airs on Thursday night. : '''Daytime :* By Monday, the number of opening titles has been changed from four to three; additionally, the titles no longer all say the same thing. :* On Monday, everyone in the audience wears "15 Years on CBS" buttons. :* Mark Goodson appears on Monday to read a poem; among many other things, the poem contains a brief tribute to Johnny. :* On Monday, Safe Crackers is played for a car. :* By Monday, the Switcheroo board has been altered to accommodate 5-digit car prices. :* For the first four weeks of this season, the daytime show still uses the original Any Number board. :* On Tuesday, Andy Jacobson and Fingers dance the Gator during the first Showcase Showdown. :* Thursday show features the debut of Add 'em Up. :* By Friday, 3 Strikes' first "NO" graphic, with red text in a small, black circle, has come into use. : Primetime :* On Special, Shell Game is played for a car. :* On Special, contestant Maryella faints upon winning the Showcase. Week 2 (618):''' September 15-19 + Thursday night * The Price Is Right Special 6 (#006P) airs on Thursday night. : '''Primetime :* As of this special, Super Ball!!'s first three small prizes are still being displayed one at a time. Week 3 (619):''' September 22-26 * Monday marks the last known appearance of the original format of 5-digit Lucky $even; the next known playing of the game for a 5-digit car does not occur until Season 21. '''Week 4 (620):''' September 29-October 3 * On Monday, the opening titles are still red. * On Monday, Most Expensive is played for three trips. * Wednesday show is the ceremonial 3,000th episode; in reality, it is the 2,996th episode. * On Wednesday, there are still no Goodson-Todman asterisks in Race Game. '''Week 5 (621):' October 6-10 * On Monday show, the infamous "Shell Game cheater" incident occurs, in which contestant Debra mistakenly looks under one of the shells in Shell Game while trying to decide where to place her first chip. She sees that the ball is not under that shell and subsequently tries to make up for her misdeed by placing her chip by it, which Bob will not allow. Later, after she has every other shell marked, Bob sarcastically tells her that, "you've ruined my game," because "this would be exciting, but everybody knows the damn thing's not ''there!" * Assuming that episode #5811D is not included in the episode count, Tuesday's show is the real episode #3,000. * On Tuesday, the first show taped after the '86 Specials, the order of the audience curtains is reversed, changing it to green-orange-blue-red-green-orange-blue-red. * On Tuesday, the third Race Game Curtain carries over to the daytime show. * On Friday, Hole in One's two-putt rule is introduced to the daytime show. * By Friday, the borders of the Secret "X" board have become red. * On Friday, the new Any Number board carries over to the daytime show. * Friday show is the last episode with a full credit roll directed by Marc Breslow. At the end of the show, as a tribute, the staff stops the credits on his name and zooms in on it for several seconds before continuing. '''Week 6 (622):''' October 13-17 * By Monday, the opening titles have been changed back to blue. * Tuesday show is the final episode directed by Marc Breslow. * On Wednesday, Paul Alter becomes Price's director. '''Week 7 (623):''' October 20-24 * After Friday, The Phone Home Game begins its annual hiatus for the Home Viewer Showcase. '''Week 8 (624):''' October 27-31 * Thursday show features the earliest known non-contestant appearance of Kyle. * On Thursday, the car's actual retail price in Five Price Tags is still indicated by an orange price tag. * By Thursday, Check-Out's "50¢" sign has been changed from an imitation of a vane display to a more normal font. * On Thursday, the first two prizes in Ten Chances are still located on a single prop. '''Week 9 (625):''' November 3-7 * On Monday, the Big Wheel's narrow "arrow" split-screen shot is still in use. '''Week 10 (626):''' November 10-14 * During this week of shows, the Home Viewer Showcase "The Christmas Party" is presented each day at the beginning of Act 2; the address to send bids to is presented at the beginning of Act 6. * On this week's shows, the Big Wheel's wider "arrow" split-screen shot is in use; since Home Viewer Showcase weeks tended to be taped out of order, I cannot say with certainty that it was in use on the immediately surrounding episodes. * On Wednesday, Double Prices is played at Door #2; at this point, this seems to have been more the exception than the rule. * On Friday, Safe Crackers is played for a car. '''Week 11 (627):''' November 17-21 * Wednesday show features the last appearance of Now....and Then under its original name. Bob states on the air that the next time the game is played, it will have a different name. * On Wednesday, Now....and Then is played for a car. * By Thursday, the Big Wheel's wider "arrow" split-screen shot has been introduced permanently. '''Week 12 (628):' November 24-26 * Thanksgiving week; only three shows. * On Tuesday, Most Expensive is played for three trips. * Wednesday show features the last playing of Blank Check under its original name. After this episode, the game is removed from the pricing game rotation due to a threat of a copyright lawsuit from Barry & Enright, which produced a short-lived game show called ''Blank Check in 1975. * On Wednesday, all of Bonus Game's windows are lit up as it comes around on the Turntable; while they are visible on-camera, they are shut off before anyone in the studio can see them, and the game proceeds normally. '''Week 13 (629):''' December 1-5 * On Tuesday, Now....and Then's name is changed to "Now....or Then." '''Week 14 (630):''' December 8-12 * On Wednesday, Hole in One is still being referred to by its usual name. * By Wednesday, Hole in One's $500 flag has become solid gold. * On Friday, Bob calls the winner of the Home Viewer Showcase at the end of the show. '''Week 15 (631):''' December 22-24 * Christmas week; only three shows, on Monday-Wednesday. * The set is decorated for Christmas this week. * On Monday, Super Ball!! is played for a car. * By the end of this week, Golden Road's sign has been redone to be less glittery and give the letters a more professional appearance. * By the end of 1986, Cliff Hangers has adopted its second "crashing" sound effect for losses. '''Week 16 (632):''' January 5-9 '''Week 17 (633):''' January 12-16 * On Wednesday, the current Double Prices podium is introduced; after more than 14 years, the game finally has a logo. * Initially, the fourth Double Prices podium was black, and the areas behind the price tags were a solid, red rectangle. '''Week 18 (634):''' January 19-23 * On Monday, The Phone Home Game returns to the rotation. '''Week 19 (635):''' January 26-30 * On Monday, Super Ball!! is played for a car. * On Thursday, Blank Check returns to the pricing game rotation. * As of Thursday, Blank Check's name is changed to "Check Game." * Probably this Thursday, Check Game adopts a darker color scheme, and most of the text on the board is redone in a different style. '''Week 20 (636):''' February 2-6 *On Friday, the fourth Double Prices podium has taken on its normal, blue appearance. *On Friday, Hole in One's name has been semi-officially changed to Hole in One or Two. To reflect this change, a smaller "or Two" sign is placed next to the main "Hole in One" sign. '''Week 21 (637):''' February 9-13 '''Week 22 (638):''' February 16-20 '''Week 23 (639):''' February 23-27 '''Week 24 (640):''' March 2-6 '''Week 25 (641):''' March 9-13 '''Week 26 (642):''' March 16-20 '''Week 27 (643):''' March 23-27 * On Friday, The Price Is Right breaks the record for "longest continuously-running daytime game show on network television." In honor of the occasion, Mark Goodson appears to present Bob with a license plate reading "LCRDGNT". * Friday show begins with Bob doing a voiceover of the text on an invitation card: "You are cordially invited to attend our celebration today as the longest continuously-running daytime network game show in television history." After he finishes, the screen fades to black with applause in the background, and the normal opening begins. * Friday show's opening titles are "Celebration!", "Record-Breaking Show!", and "Let's Party!". * On Friday, the set is decorated for the celebration. * On Friday, Bob enters with Dian and Holly on his arms. * On Friday, Clock Game is played for a trip worth over $2,000; the contestant is given a range of $1,000 in which to bid on it. * On Friday, Range Game is played for a car. * On Friday, after the Showcase, Bob takes the winner over to a cake that was made for the show's celebration and introduces the entire staff; he and Rod do not sign off until right before the show goes off the air. '''Week 28 (644):''' March 30-April 3 * By Wednesday, backing has been installed behind the "Barker's Bargain Bar" sign, presumably to make it more legible. * Wednesday show features an April Fool's showcase with trips to destinations nobody has ever heard of. It consists of fourth-class flights to Bakersville, with accommodations at a two-star campground; Hoosin, with accommodations at a three-star inn, nowhere near any shopping, nightlife, or entertainment, but very close to some "seriously strange" rock formations; and the principality of Meeskite, with accommodations for five nights and three days at a hotel with occasional service at the waiter's leisure. Unlike most years, an "April Fool's" graphic appears on the screen when Bob reveals that the contestant is not supposed to bid on these. The real showcase is two Ford Thunderbirds. '''Week 29 (645):''' April 6-10 * Tuesday show features the debut of Pathfinder. * Early on, the small prize price choices in Pathfinder were green text on a white background, and the labels and right answers were white text on a green label; later on, these color schemes would be reversed. * Early on, Pathfinder did not use the familiar "clang" and "er-ooh" sound effects commonly associated with it, instead utilizing the standard bell and buzzer. * Early on, the choices for the next number in Pathfinder did not light up as Bob identified them. * Around this time, Add 'em Up's logo is removed from atop its price display due to the same prop also being used in Pathfinder. '''Week 30 (646):''' April 13-17 '''Week 31 (647):''' April 20-24 * On Tuesday, the decimal point is still present in the dollar on the Big Wheel. * On Tuesday, the price choices in Secret "X" are still red on a white background and the right answers white on a red background. * By Tuesday, the center column in Secret "X" has begun to reveal itself toward the camera. '''Week 32 (648):''' April 27-May 1 '''Week 33 (649):''' May 4-8 '''Week 34 (650):''' May 11-15 '''Week 35 (651):''' May 18-22 * On Wednesday, contestant Yvonne plays Super Ball!! and manages to get ball #2 stuck above the Win! circle; she also causes multiple balls to fail to make it to the $50 circle. Bob ends up so flustered by the incident that he never has Rod describe the small prize for the superball. * By Wednesday, Super Ball!! has begun displaying its first three small prizes on the Turntable all at once. * By Wednesday, Rod has begun wearing his trademark colorful jackets at least some of the time. '''Week 36 (652):''' May 25-29 '''Week 37 (653):''' June 1-5 '''Week 38 (654):''' June 8-12 '''Week 39 (655): June 22-26 * Season finale week. Category:Timelines